


and it wasn't fair, he couldn't say

by Probotype



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Eye Gouging, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Minor Violence, Original Statement (The Magnus Archives), Post-Canon, all 4 og elias stans make some noise!!, but i dance around it, content warning for jonah being homophobic by ruining michael and elias's relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:36:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25538896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Probotype/pseuds/Probotype
Summary: after everything, elias finally has a life back. it doesn't feel like his, but it is now. and he's ready to talk about what happened.or, statement of elias bouchard, regarding the events leading to and his possession by the being known as jonah magnus.(also, my friend made a mini-comic for this fic! https://wizarddoodles.tumblr.com/post/624455263093751808/-quick-elimichael-comic-for-probotype it made me cry!!!)
Relationships: Original Elias Bouchard/Michael Shelley
Comments: 7
Kudos: 79





	and it wasn't fair, he couldn't say

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thedistortion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thedistortion/gifts).



[TAPE CLICKS ON]

**ARCHIVIST**

Now, are you sure you want to do this, Elias? You are aware that this will impact your dreams, aren’t you? In ways that aren’t exactly pleasant.

**ELIAS**

I get it. Trust me, I do. Ev-Even if you haven't kept telling me, I had been poss-possessed by Jonah for, geez, 24 years, and the guy kinda... knew a bit too much about everything. ‘Sides, you, you gotta eat, yeah? I’m more than happy to help you out. Bet this’ll be, uh, filling.

**ARCHIVIST**

  
_[Reluctantly]_ If you’re sure then.

[SHUFFLING, FOLLOWED BY A TIRED SIGH]

Oh, of course. It’s already recording. Why am I even surprised at this point? Out of all the things we solved over the years, we never really did find out why these things could turn themselves on.

**ELIAS**

Heh. Turn themselves on.

**ARCHIVIST**

_[Sigh]_ Anyway. Statement of Elias Bouchard, regarding the events leading to and his possession by the being known as Jonah Magnus. Recorded direct from subject, April 20th, 2022.

  
Statement begins.

**ELIAS (STATEMENT)**

You don’t really expect much when you’re working as a filing clerk, you know. At least, I didn’t? My job was just to file things in docu-storage. Wasn’t much to it than that. Got high a lot, though. Did you know that the reason why the room was fire-proofed was ‘cuz of me and Michael? We were so proud of that.

**ARCHIVIST**

Just for posterity’s sake, you’re referring to Michael Shelley, correct?

**ELIAS (STATEMENT)**

Who else? But yeah, that’s who I meant. And it was fun, y’know? Nobody really cared much about how good I was at my job, because people hardly checked. I guess that’s part of the reason why I was such a good choice for the ol’ bodysnatching of ‘96.

Y’see, other than Mikey, I didn’t really have many people that cared about me? My parents were… Distant, I guess. They were rich, that’s why I got into Oxford even though my grades were shitty. But I think they only really cared about my success? And other than that, the people I talked to regularly were just Michael and my dealer.

And I guess Jonah, who was possessing James Wright at the time, kind of noticed that. As you’ve probably guessed, his victims kinda needed to be people with not a lot of connections. If they change a whole lot, their friends are gonna notice. And, well, like I said. Not many friends.

It all started normally enough. He started coming into document storage while I was working. It must’ve been after the 4th time Michael and I accidentally set the place on fire, back in late ‘95. It was just fireproofed. I figured he was just supervising me personally, making sure I wasn’t smoking or anything. It was a bit of a weird thing for him to spend his time on, but I didn’t really question it.

He started asking questions about my life and stuff, mostly small-talk. Once again, didn’t question it. Figured if he was gonna come into my workspace and watch me, it made sense for him to talk to me? And obviously Mikey couldn’t come in there while the boss was there, so I appreciated the lack of silence.

Now, after a while, I started noticing weird things about Wright. Y’know, asking questions and needing to answer, him knowing things. But honestly? I don’t think he ever cared about whether or not I noticed. Hell, I even pointed it out once, and the guy just started laughing.

This continued on for a few weeks, all into the next year, which meant less time to see Mikey during work. We went on dates, obviously, but neither of us were rolling in money, not really. I think that was part of his plan, too? Distance me from my one real connection?

I remember the day I was possessed clearly. I dunno if he did this on purpose, or if he was just not paying attention, but he let me have a little moment with Michael beforehand. It wouldn’t have been that big to me, but it always helped that what I began to think was my last moment with him was a nice one. We just… spoke about our lives for a bit in the breakroom, just as the workday was about to end, before I headed back to document storage to get some things. It was nice.

When I got back to docu-storage, Wright was already there, standing in front of the door. I asked him what was good, and he told me to come with him to his office.

I didn’t really have a reason to think anything good of this, and you know me, Jon. You know I’m pretty optimistic, yeah? But I was not optimistic about this at all. Kinda thought I was finally getting the boot. That Wright was finally sick of me after working there for 5 years.

The hall to his office was quiet in a way that I didn’t find weird back then. I found nothing weird back then, huh? But like, you really don’t think about all the suspicious things that happen to you until after the fact, unless you’re already paranoid.

So, Wright sits me down in his office, offers me some tea, and I’d never really been in there before. Someone from admin conducts most of the interviews, unless Wright had reason to interview you personally. And he sure didn’t when it came to me, not in 1991 at least.

Now, I don’t say anything, no begging for my job. Because honestly, when you work at a place that long, if they’re deciding to fire you, there isn’t much luck with changing their minds, especially if the head is the one doing it.

But then Wright starts talking about stepping down. Shit like “this body is getting too old for my work.” Again, not that weird until hindsight hits? But it got weirder. He starts talking about how my body is “at the prime age for this sort of thing.” Again, weirdo! By then I do have some alarm bells going off, because I’m not a complete idiot.

Then, I see it. I don’t really know how to describe it. It looks like an ice cream scoop? I think it was an ice cream scoop at first, actually. But it was changed a lot. It was deeper, and I think it looked like it could make… More precise digs?

He also had two of those things to hold eyes open. I forget what they’re called. By then, when he pulled both those items out, though, let’s just say I was actually nervous.  
Now, usually by this point in the story, I’d skip the, uh, grosser details. But, well, you’re you.

He scooped my eyes out with that thing. It hurt, obviously. Couldn't really see the results. Screamed, but it was the end of the day, and I don’t think anyone was around. I tried to get away from him, but, well, he put something in that tea. Still not sure what, exactly, but my limbs were heavy enough that I couldn't really move, so it did the job. The thing he used to scoop them did a clean job of it, I think. I bled, but not as much as you’d think.

Then, he put his eyes in my sockets, and that’s when it happened.

I still don’t really know what was up with his eyes. Eyes, don’t feel like that, I think. They clicked in there, but they were real eyes for sure. I don’t get it. Maybe it’s just some Avatar bullshit. But the moment they clicked in, it was like I was sent to the back of my own head. Nothing was mine anymore. I was in the backseat of my own body. Have your limbs ever moved on their own, Jon? It isn’t fun.

But I guess your limbs haven’t. Okay, think of it this way. Have your limbs ever not responded to you trying to move them? It’s like that, all over, but they’re responding to something else and there’s nothing you can do.

I remember, too, when I started to realize what was going on, I kept not saying things. Jonah explained just what was going on, in that gloaty way he does. And I didn’t say “it’s not fair.” And you know what? He agreed with me. He said it wasn’t fair for me. But he did it anyway. It just made me angrier.

One of the worst things is how everyone just thought my shift in personality was just a side affect of me finally taking things seriously. “Oh! Look at Elias, with that sudden promotion of his. I’m glad he’s finally getting his head in the game.” I wanted to tell them that I’d never take anything seriously in my life, but I couldn’t do anything.

Funny thing is? Michael did notice. He knew something was wrong. How couldn’t he? Working directly with Gertrude, he knew a bit more than other employees how spooky— Jon, stop making that face. I’m using the word spooky. Anyway, he knew just how spooky shit could get. He never found out exactly what it was, I think. But at least he knew something was wrong. That I didn’t just suddenly change and stop talking to him. It makes me feel better that he knew I never abandoned him.

Anyway, yeah. I was forced to watch basically everything. I mean, I could stop. Did it during Jonah’s, er… I know you’re a prude, Jon. But I stopped watching when he was banging Peter Lukas. I’m sorry! Please don’t make that face. But you want all the details, you’re getting all the details. Stopped during hygiene and stuff too. But I was still totally aware whenever I stopped watching, and I was in total and complete nothingness. Somehow, watching as a man pretended to be me while acting nothing like me was better than that. So I mostly watched.

That’s it, really. I don’t think I need to tell you all that I saw. You know mostly all of his more ma-major activities. I was freed, and now I’m here.

**ARCHIVIST**

Yes, that’s quite good enough. Thank you, Elias.

**ELIAS**

Hey, of course. Damn dude, you look like y-you just had a meal.

**ARCHIVIST**

Yes, I get that a lot.

**ELIAS**

It was kinda nice to talk about it. _[Jokingly]_ Even if you do show up as a creepy eye demon in my dreams.

**ARCHIVIST**

_[Miffed]_ Elias…

**ELIAS**

_[Laughing]_ Sorry, sorry. You wanna meet with the others for lunch now?

**ARCHIVIST**

Depends. Whose turn was it to pick?

**ELIAS**

Martin. So you know he’s gonna go with something you like.

**ARCHIVIST**

I suppose. Let me just finish up here.

**ELIAS**

_[Suddenly excited]_ Wait. Can I say it? I, I’ve always wanted to say it.

**ARCHIVIST**

Quite the strange dream.

**ELIAS**

C’mon, pleaaaase?

**ARCHIVIST**

_[Amused, but clearly trying to hide it]_ Alright, fine.

**ELIAS**

Statement ends!

[TAPE CLICKS OFF]

**Author's Note:**

> sometimes i get, perhaps unnecessarily, attached 2 extremely minor characters. this is a result of that.  
> other than that, thanks 4 reading!! i probably dont need 2 specify this, but no concrit.


End file.
